


Meeting of the minds

by Dearieforever



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-05
Updated: 2017-08-05
Packaged: 2018-12-11 10:09:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11712225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dearieforever/pseuds/Dearieforever
Summary: Rumplestiltskin and Robert Carlyle can never meet.  or can they?  My thoughts on what they would say if they did.





	Meeting of the minds

Sleep did not come easily for Dark Ones. More often than not they couldn't sleep at all. Those times when Rumple did sleep, he was no stranger to nightmares. He hoped that would not be the case this night. Belle was beside him, and Gideon was safely asleep in his crib, but even as Rumple lay down beside his wife he wondered how long this happiness could last. How long before Belle rejected him for good or he let his son down? The thought that he could never be loved had taken root in his brain long ago, and only strengthened with each rejection. He closed his eyes, trying to force such thoughts away.

Meanwhile, in Canada, another man was trying to fall asleep. He was tired as well, but he felt sure he was making the right decision. One more season to go, and then he would walk away from what this once brilliant show had become. He would miss playing this character, but he was tired of the way he was written. Kissing the Evil Queen! Did those two who wrote this garbage even have any idea who the character was? Them firing Michael had nearly made him leave before. Now that Em was going to be leaving too except for one episode, it was time to move on.

Neither one of the two men could have said how it happened, even the one experienced in magic. He'd known walking in dreams was possible of course, and had done so before, but he hadn't tried doing that this night. The strange thing about this dream was, instead of being only one of him, he found himself face to face with his double. It was a bit unsettling, but he realized it was a dream. The other man seemed to realize it too, and guessed at what Rumple was thinking.

“I'm not you,” he told him. “I should probably introduce myself. My name is Robert Carlyle. You can call me Bobby if you like. In my world, I'm an actor and I play you on a TV show called Once Upon A Time.”

As insane as the idea seemed, Rumple had heard stranger things. Everyone in Storybrooke knew the Author, a role Henry filled now, recorded the events of their lives. The idea of being on a television show instead of in a book wasn't that strange by comparison. 

“So there really is some one out there writing what happens to us, and controlling our destinies?” Rumple asked. Bobby nodded.

“I'm afraid so, and I wish I could change the way things have been written, especially lately. Em and I have done our best to control the damage in the way you and Belle are written, but there's a limit to what we can do.”

It was easy enough for Rumple to guess Bobby was talking about the girl who played Belle in the TV version of their lives.

“Anyway,” Bobby continued sadly. “As long a we have this chance to meet, I should tell you I won't be playing you any more.” The actor debated on whether to tell the mage that Belle would no longer be featured in the show. There would be nothing he could do to change anything though. Why cause him more worry, especially when he didn't know how the story would finally end yet? Both of them were at the mercy of the writers. At least Bobby would be free of that soon. He smiled at that idea, but he would miss becoming Rumple. “You became my alter ego, and I'm done with them ruining things and writing you as the villain everyone is supposed to hate.”

Rumple studied him, never having had anyone else see him that way.

“Are you sure you have any idea of who I really am, Dearie?”

Bobby chuckled and smiled, although thinking about the past wasn't easy. 

“I've been you, in some ways. Not to complain, but my family life as a boy wasn't perfect. I was close with my dad though. He did as good as any man can do raising me alone.” He paused. “I won't pretend it was easy, doing the scenes with you and the Black Fairy, but acting scenes like that helps me work through some of my own problems. The point is, I know you're not just a villain, and I know what it is to have someone in your life who should have been there turn away. In the end, you have to learn to see the fault was with them, not you.”

That gave Rumple something to reflect on, but he'd done things that had come with consequences. 

“I'm far from blameless.”

Bobby shrugged.

“Who is? But when it comes down to it, I think we've both done the best we know how to for the people we love. We try, we fail, we pick ourselves back up. I have a wife and three kids of my own. I know sometimes things go more smoothly than others, no matter how much we love them and try to do our best. All we can do is keep trying and loving.” 

Rumple nodded. “I can honestly say I intend to do that. But- I wonder if you could tell me something. You know I see the future, but that it's hard to decipher most of the time. You know what's going to happen though, at least for the episodes you have left, don't you?”

Bobby shook his head.

“I don't have all the scripts yet. I wish I could guarantee you a happy ending. I'll do as much as I can for you though. And I think you should know you have quite a fan following.” He grinned. “I gave your fans the nickname of the Dearies.”

Rumple smiled at that, and could tell Bobby did honestly enjoy being him. The actor must see him as someone worth becoming when he was in front of the cameras.

“Well, it's a bit strange knowing I have fans, but it's good to know too. And thank you.” He paused, seeing something when he looked at Bobby, a bit of the future coming to him. “You're next show is going to be quite the success. And you'll have the chance to direct more too, take more control of your characters.” He smiled “They are in good hands.”

Bobby smiled back. “Thank you. And I can truly say, being you has been- well not a pleasure when you've had to go through so much. But- it's meant a lot to me.” 

Somehow they both sensed they were about to wake up, and the next thing they knew they were both in their own beds again. It was still dark, and both lay there thinking about their meeting, knowing it was more than just a dream. It was hard for Rumple to wrap his head around the fact that the person who in some ways brought him to life saw him as someone who, despite his flaws, was not someone who deserved a villain's fate. Bobby didn't see him as a pure villain, and didn't play him that way. It had only been recently that Rumple had learned he was born a Savior. He still couldn't see himself as a hero, but perhaps soon he would be able to believe he wasn't a villain either. 

Robert felt a sense of relief. Of course, he knew the difference between the characters he played and who he was, but sometimes the line could be pretty thin. He'd had to distance himself from his family when he'd played Begbie, afraid of bringing that character home in his subconscious. With Rumple, he'd put so much of himself into the role, and Rumple had become almost another side of himself, his alter ego, as he had said before. Now, he was more sure than ever that moving on was the right thing. He wouldn't have to betray the person he knew Rumplestiltskin was, no matter who Adam and Edward saw him as. He would play his future roles with as much dedication as ever, but Rumple was someone special, and Bobby would always carry him inside him.


End file.
